Second Generation
by kenziebabe91
Summary: A new girl comes to Stars Hollow and reminds everyone of someone in town. Luke/Lorelai And a new character created by me! Hope you enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Hey everyone! This story is my first full length story for Gilmore Girls. I completely adore the show and I had an idea hit me during class so I started drafting as soon as class was over. This story includes a new character that I made up and her life and of course I have to put Luke/Lorelai into the mix! I hope you all enjoy it!

Chapter 1:

Ashlynn Grace Lombardi looked at her belly in the mirror, it still looked flat but there was still a baby growing inside. At 13 weeks pregnant she had finally told her parents of her pregnancy. That was 2 days ago; her parents' reaction wasn't the best. They yelled and begged her to get an abortion not knowing that she was past the first trimester. After they were told how far along she was they begged her to give the baby up for adoption, but of course she refused. She had already fallen in love with this child; she was already planning their lives. There was no way she could give her baby up.

As of right now her parents thought she was taking a nap. She had gotten home from work not too long ago and was exhausted as usual. She heard hushed whispers coming from downstairs and decided to eavesdrop on her parents.

"Can you help us Mr. Erickson?" She heard her mother ask.

"Of course, my firm specializes in adoptions from teen parents." The man said.

"Thank you!" Her father replied. "Our daughter is much too young to raise a child, we don't want to see her wreck her life."

That was all Ashlynn needed to hear, her parents were planning on double crossing her and taking her child from her. What kind of parents would do that? They were willingly giving up their first grandchild without any second thoughts. She quietly went back to her room and sat on her bed.

"Don't worry baby, mommy will protect you." She whispered to her belly.

She walked over to her desk and opened up her laptop and started typing out a list. She began listing things that she needed to accomplish before she left this house. After her list was finished she went to her closet, pulled out a duffle bag and began packing up some items.

She heard a car start and looked out her window and saw the man driving out of her drive way. As soon as he left she put on her shoes and coat and made her way down the stairs.

"Ashlynn honey, where are you going?" Her mother asked.

"Jenna invited me to sleep over." She lied.

"Oh, when will you be back?"

"Probably Sunday night." She replied.

"Okay, be safe."

"I will." She returned before opening the door and stepping out into the cold December air.

She got into her car and pulled out her cellphone and texted Jenna that she was coming over. Jenna replied quickly and was more than happy to have her over.

The drive to Jenna's was short. Ashlynn arrived at the house in under fifteen minutes.

"Hey Ash." Jenna hugged her as she came through the door. "What's wrong?"

"I'm leaving."

"You just got here….Why do you have that big bag?"

"Not leaving here." She clarified. "I'm leaving Burlington."

"What? Why? Burlington's where we grew up, why would you want to leave?"

"I told my parents about the baby and they were less than thrilled, but they said they'd let me keep him or her…"

"But that's a good thing, why are you leaving?"

"It gets so much better…."

"Ashlynn, it's nice to see you." Jenna's mother Sharon greeted. "What's this I hear about you leaving?"

"Mrs. Kowalski hi, I didn't see you there."

"Ashlynn…" Sharon repeated in concern.

"I told my parents about the baby." She began. "They told me I could keep him or her but then today I heard them talking with this lawyer and they're planning on forcing me to put my baby up for adoption."

Sharon and Jenna looked shocked.

"That's crazy! What are you going to do?" Jenna asked

"Well, here where I need your help…." Ashlynn began. "I need you to help me get my things together before I leave."

"Honey, you're running away?" Sharon asked already knowing the answer.

"I have to. This is the only way I can protect this baby." She explained. "Think about it, this is all that I have left of Charles…"

Jenna and Sharon looked down sadly. She was right, this was her child she was protecting, Sharon's grandchild, and Jenna's niece or nephew.

"We'll help you." Sharon assured. "It's what Charles would have wanted us to do." She thought of her deceased son.

"Yeah, what do you need us to do?"

"I need you to hold some of my things until I leave, like clothes and baby things, you know."

"For how long?" Jenna asked.

"After school's over, I'll be graduated by then, that way I can have at least a high school degree before I leave."

"That's in three and a half weeks…"

"I know, it's a short time, but I need to leave as soon as possible that way I can get settled somewhere and find a job." She replied. "I know if I don't get out now I'll keep putting it off and then I'll have him and my parents will take him away. I can't risk it."

"Okay, let's get started then."

* * *

><p>Three weeks later:<p>

It was almost time for Ashlynn to leave. She had everything set, she bought a prepaid phone so that her parents couldn't track her down, she signed up for Medicaid, she put in her two weeks' notice at her job, she had all her necessities moved into the Kowalski's garage, and she was almost finished with high school.

She was now sitting in her last class of the day. After this she would meet with her guidance counselor and then attend a small ceremony with all the other early graduates so that she could receive her diploma. After that she'd be free.

The ceremony was short and took an hour to complete. She now had her diploma in hand and her parents had taken her out to celebrate her graduation.

"I can't believe you graduated ahead of everyone!" Her father commented.

"Yeah well, it'd be better if Charles were here…" She replied somberly.

"Oh honey, please don't bring that up."

"Why not mom? He's the one who pushed me into graduating early; I was supposed to start at University of Vermont with him next semester. He should be here."

"I know you're sad dear, losing someone is always hard but Charles would be proud of you." Her mother replied.

"So, now that you're graduated what are you going to do?" Her father asked changing the subject.

"Jenna invited me to sleep over at her house for a few days." She answered.

"That sounds like fun." Her mom replied.

"Yeah, I can't wait."

On the ride home Ashlynn felt a pang of sadness mixed with excitement. She was sad over the fact that she was leaving the town the she grew up in. Burlington was home for her, she loved the weather, she loved the people, and she loved everything about it. She would always be a Vermont girl at heart no matter where she went, but it still hurt to leave. She also was sad to leave her family. She had shared many great times with her parents, they had always helped her and been supportive, that is until they found out about her pregnancy. But in all she was excited, she was going on an adventure, she was setting off on her own. She knew that this was for the best.

That night she lay in bed restless. Tomorrow she would go to Jenna's and finish getting ready so that she could leave. Her mind rushed thinking through a check list.

'Diploma; check, baby things; check, Social Security Card; check, clothes; check, Medicaid; check, ' She ran off in her mind until she finally fell asleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning she drove over to Jenna's house. She would sleep over for one night so that they could spend one last time hanging out and then the next day she would be on the road.<p>

"I can't believe this is it." Jenna cried.

"Hey, don't you start crying!" She warned. "These preggo hormones are making me super emotional!"

Jenna chuckled at her comment.

"Ashlynn, you're here." Sharon greeted. "I can't believe this is your last night in Burlington."

"Me neither."

"Well, we decided to give you a little going away gift." Sharon began.

"You guys didn't have to, helping me was enough."

"Nonsense." Sharon replied handing Ashlynn a bag.

Ashlynn cautiously opened the bag and found a baby blanket and a card.

"The blanket belonged to Charles…" Sharon sniffed.

Tears began spring from Ashlynn's eyes. She opened the card and found a check.

"This is too much, I can't take this."

"The money came from Charles' bank account; he would have used it to care for you and his baby. Please take it."

Ashlynn nodded and hugged Sharon and Jenna.

The rest of the night was filled with hugs and tears as Ashlynn spent her last night in Burlington.

Hope you guys liked that. I know that there's no Gilmore Girls stuff yet but the next chapter will have a lot more. I just wanted the first chapter to introduce Ashlynn and her story. Please review and enjoy your day!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two coming right at you! In this chapter there will be more GG stuff I promise!

Chapter 2:

The night went by fast. It was now Ashlynn's last day in Burlington, she had woken up at noon and started to pack up her car with the help of Jenna, Sharon, and Charles Sr. The plan was for her to leave by 3pm so that they could still have lunch together before she left.

By 2:50 the car was packed up, the lunch had been eaten and Ashlynn was walking out of the front door followed by the Kowalski family.

"So, I guess this is it…" Ashlynn began her voice breaking.

"Yeah, I guess this is." Jenna replied.

"I'll call and text as much as I can." She said giving a hug to Jenna.

"I know. I'll miss you sis-in-law."

"I'll miss you too." She replied. She then moved on to Charles Sr. "Thanks for everything Mr. K."

"No problem Ashlynn. You better call us when that grandchild of ours is about to make an appearance."

"I will." Finally she went and hugged Sharon. "I'll miss you."

"I know, I'll miss you too." Sharon replied.

After the goodbyes were said Ashlynn got into her car and started the engine. As she backed up out of the drive way she couldn't help but start crying. The Kowalski's were her second family, leaving them hurt just as much as leaving her Mom and Dad.

Before she completely left town she made sure to drop a letter in the mailbox. This letter was to be sent to her parents explain that she wouldn't be home and why. She cried as she wrote it the weeks before knowing how much it would hurt her parents, but it had to be done.

* * *

><p>After driving for four hours she was exhausted. She couldn't stand being cooped up in her car for so long. She finally reached a small town and decided it was best to stay for the night since it was already dark. She drove around until she found a quaint little diner. She sighed in relief; she was desperately in need of food.<p>

When she entered through the door she heard a jingle of bells and headed straight to the counter.

"Hi, what can I get for you?" A tall scruffy man in flannel asked.

"Umm, can I look at the menu please?"

"Of course." He said handing her the menu.

He handed the young girl the menu and observed her as she looked through. She definitely wasn't from around here, or else he would have seen her before.

"I'll have a grilled cheese and water." She said ordering the cheapest thing on the menu.

"Coming right up." Luke replied.

She checked her watch and saw that it was 7:30pm and thanks to the winter it was already pitch black outside. There was no way she could continue driving for the night. She heard the door bells jingle once more and heard a loud voice.

"Luuuukkkkeee! Can I get some coffee?"

"Hold on a minute will ya!" The flannel man now known as Luke answered.

The loud woman sat next to Ashlynn and began drumming her fingers on the counter.

"Grilled cheese and Water." Luke said placing her meal in front of her.

"Thanks. Ummm, do you think you can tell me where the closest hotel/motel is?" She asked.

"There's the Dragonfly Inn." Luke replied shamelessly promoting his girlfriend.

"How much is a room there?"

"$150 per night." The loud woman replied.

"Oh, wow." Ashlynn sighed. Though she had money for the room she didn't want to spend that much on one night in a room, she had a child to think about. "Thanks for the info, but I can't exactly afford that at the moment."

"I'm sorry." The loud woman replied.

"It's okay; I've got my car and some blankets."

* * *

><p>"It's okay; I've got my car and some blankets." The girl replied.<p>

Lorelai was heartbroken upon hearing the young girl who sat next to her say that. She couldn't just let her sleep in her car, especially not in the middle of January.

She saw Luke giver a nod signaling her to the back room.

"I can't let her sleep in her car, it's freezing out!" Luke started.

"I know, she looks young too. Have you seen her parents?"

Luke shook his head. "You think she's a runaway?"

"Yeah, she's young, traveling alone, she has blankets in her car." Lorelai listed off. "I can't let her sleep in the cold; she needs a place to stay."

"I know."

"I think I have a plan…" Lorelai said walking out from the back room.

* * *

><p>Ashlynn saw the woman's face fall when she mentioned her car. She noticed that Luke motioned over to the back room.<p>

She shook her head and went back to eating her grilled cheese. She hated the idea of having to sleep in her cramped and cold car, but it would have to do for one night.

After about five minutes Luke and the woman walked back out.

"Hi, I'm Lorelai." She greeted extending her hand.

"Ashlynn, it's nice to meet you."

"It's nice meeting you too." Lorelai replied. "Ashlynn, do you need a place to stay?"

"I have my car, or I can always drive out to the next car and find a cheap motel."

"Why don't you save your money…" Lorelai began. "I have some room at my house, why don't you spend the night there."

"I couldn't intrude. Besides, you just met me. I could be a deranged psycho killer."

"I trust that you're not."

"Are you sure?"

"It's not a five star hotel, but it sure beat the hell out of sleeping in a car."

"Wow, thank you!" Ashlynn replied shocked by the generosity. "It's only for one night, I'll be out of your hair by morning, I promise."

"Of course, we wouldn't want you parents to worry. Speaking of, where are they?"

Ashlynns face fell. She hoped that she wouldn't have to explain her situation but she knew she had to now.

"They're not here, I kind of ran away from home…"

"Kind of?"

"It's a long story."

Lorelai looked at the young girl in front of her. She could see herself in this girl; young, scared, runaway. All that was missing was a baby in her arms.

"You all finished?" Luke asked.

Ashlynn nodded. "How much do I owe you?" She asked reaching in to her bag.

"Don't worry about it, the first one is on the house."

"I'm pretty sure I have to pay you."

"I'm serious, keep your money." Luke insisted.

"Alright, thank you so much."

"Bye Luke." Lorelai said leaning over the counter and giving him a kiss.

"Bye." He replied.

"Okay, I drive that Jeep™ Wrangler. Why don't you follow me home in your car?" Lorelai said to Ashlynn.

Ashlynn nodded and gathered her things up and followed Lorelai out of the diner.

* * *

><p>The town was pretty small so the drive to Lorelai's house was quick.<p>

"Home, sweet home!" Lorelai said as she walked through the door. "Do you need me to take your coat?"

Ashlynn unbuttoned her jacket and gave it to Lorelai.

"Thank you for letting me stay here."

"It's no problem."

"Mom, is that you?" She heard a voice shout.

"Yep, I'm home." Lorelai replied. "Come here, there's someone I want you to meet."

A girl of at least twenty walked out.

"Hey, mom." She said giving Lorelai a hug.

"Hey sweetie. Rory, this is Ashlynn, she'll be staying with us for the night. Ashlynn, this is my daughter Rory."

"Nice to meet you Ashlynn."

"It's nice to meet you too." Ashlynn replied.

"Why don't we all get some ice cream…?" Lorelai offered.

"Great idea." Rory answered leading Ashlynn to the kitchen.

They all sat around the table eating ice cream.

"So Ashlynn, tell us about yourself." Lorelai asked trying to make small talk.

"Well, I'm 17. I'm from Burlington, Vermont and I just graduated high school."

"Early graduation, nice!" Rory complimented. "So what brings you to Stars Hollow?"

"It's a long story; I wouldn't want to bore you."

"You wouldn't, trust me." Rory assured.

"Okay, well as much as I loved Vermont I ran away because I couldn't stay with my parents anymore."

"That sounds familiar…" Lorelai commented.

"What happened?" Rory asked.

"I'm pregnant…."

"Wow, really familiar." Lorelai choked out.

"Mom!" Rory scolded. "What made you run away?"

"When I finally told my parents about the baby, I was thirteen weeks along. They were furious and wanted me to get an abortion but I was too far along. So they made plans behind my back to forcefully make me put my baby up for adoption." She explained. "I was so angry, they knew I wanted to keep my baby, but they blindsided me. So that day I began planning my escape."

"That's awful!" Rory exclaimed. "Thank goodness you got away."

"Yeah, it's great that you left when you did." Lorelai agreed. "How about the father, does he know?"

"About the baby? yes. About all the other stuff? Depends on your belief system….I can't exactly tell him."

"Why not?"

"A week after I found out about my pregnancy my boyfriend Charles was killed in a car accident. A drunk driver t-boned him, flipping his car over. The impact killed him instantly." Ashlynn explained through tears.

"I'm so sorry." Lorelai apologized. "I didn't mean to make you relive something so tragic."

"It's alright, I think about it all the time. When I heard about my parents plan I knew I had to get away. I was carrying his baby, a part of him. I needed to keep this last part of him."

Lorelai outstretched her hand and put it on top of Ashlynns. Her heart broke listening to her situation, she knew she needed to help this girl out.

* * *

><p>It was now 10pm; Ashlynn was ready for bed and in her pajamas. Rory offered her bed to Ashlynn so that she wouldn't have to sleep on the couch.<p>

"You okay in here?" Lorelai asked from the doorway.

"I'm good. Thank you for letting me stay here."

"It's not a problem; I brought you an extra blanket in case you get cold."

"Thanks." Ashlynn replied. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah, shoot."

"What did you mean earlier…?" She asked. "I remember you saying 'really familiar'."

"Ahhh, you caught that." Lorelai chuckled. "I got pregnant at a young age too. I had Rory when I was 16 years old. My parents urged me to marry her father but I couldn't, I was way too young to be married. After a couple of months of living with them I ran away with Rory and found Stars Hollow. A very nice woman took me in and gave me a place to live and a job and helped me raise my little girl."

"Wow that is pretty similar to my story."

"Don't I know it." Lorelai quipped. "Listen, I know that I barely know you and vice versa but I want to help you out the way Mia did with me. "

Ashlynn cocked her head.

"Mia's the woman who took me in." Lorelai explained. "Why don't you stay in Stars Hollow?"

"I don't know…?"

"We have a spare room upstairs that we can clear out for you, and I'm pretty sure Luke is in need of a waitress." Lorelai offered. "I'm more than willing to help you out."

"Are you sure it's not going to be any trouble?"

"I'm sure. If no one helped me out when I was your age I don't know where I'd be. Please let me help you."

"I would really appreciate that. Thank you so much Lorelai." Ashlynn said giving her a hug.

"It's not a problem." She replied returning the hug. "Okay, tomorrow I'll call Luke to help clear out the room and then we can get everything set up."

"Sounds like a plan!"

Lorelai smiled. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight."

Chapter 2 is done! I hope you enjoyed it. This story is really big for me, it's the first time I've ever added a new character before. Please review and enjoy your day!


	3. Chapter 3

I loved all the feedback I've gotten from everyone who's read this story! Thank you all so much. Here is chapter 3for you guys!

Chapter 3:

The next day Ashlynn woke up excited for the day. She now had a place to live, at least for a little while and she had a bit of a support system. It was nice meeting someone who was in a similar situation as she was.

"Good morning!" Rory greeted her when she walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning."

"So, what are your plans for today?"

"Your mother is taking me to find an OB and a job."

"Sounds like fun. Do you know what job you want?"

"Your mom said that Luke is looking for waitresses, so I guess that's good. Plus the tips wouldn't hurt."

"Morning honey!" Lorelai greeted Rory with a kiss. "Morning Ashlynn."

"Morning mom."

"Good Morning."

"So you ready for today?" Lorelai asked Ashlynn.

Ashlynn nodded. "Thanks again for helping me out."

"You need to stop thanking me. I've told you that I'm more than happy to help you out."

"Sorry, I'll make sure to kick you instead of thanking." She joked.

Lorelai laughed. "I like you, you're funny!"

"Looks like she fits in great with us Gilmores!" Rory added.

"That she does. Alright, who's ready for Luke's?"

"Me!" Rory cheered.

"Let's go then."

* * *

><p>"What can I get everybody?" Luke asked the three women.<p>

"Omelet with jack cheese and bacon on the side." Lorelai ordered.

"Same here." Rory added.

"I'll have a bagel and orange juice." Ashlynn ordered.

"Okay, coffee'll be ready soon." Luke said walking away. He gave Lorelai a nod sgiving her another signal.

"I'll be right back." She stood and followed him.

"She's still here…"

""Yeah…I offered her my extra room and a job."

"That's really nice of you. Do you know anything about her?"

"She's a runaway. 17 years old, pregnant, her boyfriend and baby's father passed away in a car accident, and her parents weren't so supportive of the pregnancy. I needed to help her out."

"She really reminds you of yourself doesn't she?"

"Yeah, a little, except my parents never mentioned abortion or adoption when I found out about Rory."

"They wanted her to get an abortion?"

"Oh it's a lot better, they went behind her back and hired an adoption lawyer to take her child away when they found out she was already in her second trimester." She told him. "Can you believe, the girl lost her boyfriend, she's carrying a part of him and they think she can just give that baby up like it's nothing? "

"Well now she has you. It's great that you're doing this."

"Yeah, when she told us her story I just kept thinking back to when I was that age…Mia had helped me through so much and I thought, why shouldn't I help her?" She explained. "Luke, do you still have that job open?"

"The server job, yeah why?"

"Well I promised Ashlynn that I'd help her find a Job…"

"Alright, just tell her to stay a little bit after the breakfast rush is over."

"Thanks." She said giving him a kiss. "Oh and do you think you can come over during the lull and clear out the extra room?"

"Sure, I'll stop by after the interview."

"Thanks."

She walked back to the table and saw Ashlynn and Rory chatting.

"Hey ladies, whatcha talking about?"

"Just telling her the ins and outs of Stars Hollow."

"Yeah, you guys are very festival oriented…"

"Yes, and we love it! Listen, Ashlynn, after breakfast I'm leaving you with Luke for a little bit while I go check things out at the Inn. He wants to interview you for the servers' position."

"Sounds great, thanks."

* * *

><p>Ashlynn felt a little nervous. Even though she already had two years of restaurant experience the nerves were still there.<p>

"How was your first night in Stars Hollow?" Luke asked.

"It was good, thank you. Lorelai and Rory are really nice."

"They are." He replied. "So do you have any experience working in restaurants?"

"Two years, I started out as a hostess at Chili's when I was 15 and then at a year later I was promoted to waitress."

"That's great, so can you start tomorrow?"

"Yeah, that sounds awesome. Thank you so much for the job."

"No problem." He replied. "Okay, let me get the paperwork and then we'll head back to Lorelai's."

The paperwork took a short amount of time. All that she needed to do was fill out information so that she could get paid.

"You ready to go?" Luke asked leaving Caesar in charge.

Ashlynn nodded and followed him to his truck.

"Did Lorelai tell you about my situation?" She asked. "It's okay if she did, I don't really mind."

"Yeah, she did. I'm sorry for you loss by the way." He answered. "I lost both my parents."

"I'm sorry. That must've been awful."

"It was but it made me stronger."

"Let's hope it does the same for me, I'm going to need all the strength I can get."

The rest of the ride was silent. Luke tried making conversation with Ashlynn but he didn't know her well enough to really talk to her.

"Lorelai should be back soon." He said when they pulled in the drive.

"Cool, where should we start with the room?"

"I can do it on my own."

"No, I need to help out. I don't like feeling lazy."

"Fine, but nothing too heavy."

"Got it."

* * *

><p>"Honey, I'm home!" Lorelai called out when she walked in to the house.<p>

"We're up here." Luke shouted.

She walked in to find the room nearly cleaned out. All that was left were a few boxes.

"Wow, you two really went to work."

"Yeah, this one's pretty stubborn." Luke nodded towards Ashlynn. "No wonder she gets along with you."

"Okay, well you need to go down to the jeep and help me bring the bed up for Ashlynn."

"You got me a bed?"

"Yeah, you didn't think I'd clean out a room for you and then make you sleep on the floor?"

"How much did it cost you?"

"Nothing, it was a spare bed that the Inn had."

By 2pm the room was all set up. Lorelai and Ashlynn then went to Hartford Memorial to find a doctor for Ashlynn.

"Did you have a nice time with Luke?"

"It was pretty quiet except for when he was scolding me because I was carrying heavy boxes. But overall he seems like a nice guy."

"That's Luke for ya; I don't know how many times he's scolded me for drinking too much coffee or eating what I eat. But he's just looking out, which is nice."

"Yeah, he sort of reminds me of Mr. Kowalski, Charles' dad." She replied. "He's all tough and stubborn but he's deep down he cares so much for his family."

"How did Charles' parents take the news?"

"They were definitely surprised, they weren't happy that our lives were moving so quick, but when we told them that we were keeping the baby and that we were going to be the greatest parents to him or her they supported us wholeheartedly." She explained. "They also helped me runaway. When I told them about what my parents were doing they were outraged. This baby is their last life line to their only son. They helped me out so much."

"That's nice. Chris' parents weren't like that." Lorelai replied. "They wanted me to get an abortion. They didn't even want to meet Rory when she was born."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright; Rory and I have had a great life without them. We couldn't be happier."

"Do you think I'll have that with my baby?" She asked. "I'm scared I won't be a good mom."

"I was scared too; hell I'm still terrified that I'm doing things wrong with her. Once you hold that baby in your arms you'll have the biggest amount of love surge into you. It's hard to explain but after they hand her to you you'll know that there is no way you can love someone as much as you love that baby."

* * *

><p>The trip to Hartford Memorial went as planned. Ashlynn found an OBGYN that she would start going to and they even got her in for a quick visit.

"That went well." Lorelai commented.

"Yeah, and thank goodness the hospital takes Medicaid."

"Yeah." Lorelai agreed. "Do you mind staying at the Inn for a little bit? I've got some work to finish up."

"I don't mind. I actually really want to see it."

"Who is this?" Michel asked in his French accent.

"This is Ashlynn Lombardi. She's going to be staying with me."

"Oh well isn't that nice." He replied. "Your mother has called you three times since you've left."

"That woman doesn't give up." Lorelai sighed. "I'll call her later tonight. Ashlynn, let me introduce you to my friend Sookie."

They walked over to the kitchen and saw the large amount of chaos.

"Sookie?"

"Yeah!"

"I want to introduce you to someone." Lorelai began.

Sookie suddenly popped out from behind the counter and said hello.

"This is Ashlynn Lombardi; she's going to be staying with me and Rory."

"Nice to meet you Ashlynn, I'm Sookie."

"Pleased to meet you too." Ashlynn shook Sookie's hand.

"So what brings you to Stars Hollow?"

"Well…"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying. If

"Well…"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be prying. I don't want to be rude."

"It's not a problem; I know I'll have to tell people why I'm here." Ashlynn replied. "I'm in Stars Hollow because I ran away from home."

Sookie glanced at Lorelai quickly. "Wow that takes a lot of guts. Where are you originally from?"

"I was born and raised in Burlington. Vermont."

"Oh that's a big city! You must not be used to such as small town."

"Actually I have a ton of family who live in Waitsfield, which I think is just as small as here."

"I've always wanted to go to Vermont." Sookie sighed. "Are you hungry? I can make you something to eat if you want."

"That sounds really nice, thank you!"

"Just have a seat and take your coat off if you want. The kitchen gets pretty hot."

"Thanks." Ashlynn unzipped her coat and hung it on the coat rack. Her long-sleeved shirt clung tightly to her thankfully her small frame, at 15 weeks and 2 days pregnant she was barely showing. Only a small bump could be seen making her look like she needed to do some crunches.

"So how do you like Stars Hollow so far?"

"It's nice, it's like a big family here and everyone's really close."

"Do you know how long you're staying?"

"Hopefully for a while; I just want to get my life settled, have a job that I love…"

"What do you want to do, career-wise?"

"I want to open up my own photography studio." She replied. "I love taking photographs."

"That sounds very nice. Maybe I can have you take my family portraits once the new baby gets here." Sookie said placing her hand on her belly.

"When are you due?" Ashlynn asked.

"June 5th."

"That's so exciting. Do you have any more kids?"

"Just one, a little boy named Davy, He's 7 months old." Sookie replied. "So do you have any hobbies other than photography?"

"I love fashion and sewing. I was thinking of doing something in fashion."

"Well you're staying with the right person. Lorelai's very good at sewing. She actually made this gorgeous dress for Rory's dance a few years back."

"That's awesome, I'll have to ask her to show it to me."

"Yeah, and maybe she can teach you a thing or two." Sookie replied. "Have you made anything lately?"

"I made all my dresses for school dances and I've knitted some clothes and socks."

"Wow, you're on a roll." Sookie stated as she finished the pasta she had made for Ashlynn.

Ashlynns first day in Stars Hollow had gone great. She had met many different people and she had become acquainted with the whole town. Most of the town still didn't know she was pregnant, they only knew that she was from Burlington and that she had graduated high school early. She knew that she would have to tell them sooner than later, but for now she liked having only a few people know.

That's all for chapter three! I hope you enjoyed it. Please review and enjoy your night!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4! I'm on a roll with these, but that's probably because they've been drafted on paper beforehand. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Ashlynn was now settled in settled in Stars Hollow. She'd been there for two weeks and already knew everyone in town. Her work at Luke's was going great and she was making good tips that she was currently saving for the baby. Living with Lorelai was fun. She was kind, funny, and she was very caring of Ashlynn even if they weren't related. Rory came by on occasion and they had gotten close too.

"I'm home." Ashlynn shouted as she walked in through the door. She had just finished the dinner at Luke's and she was exhausted.

"In the kitchen, I ordered pizza."

"Oooh, pizza yes!" Ashlynn cheered.

"So how was your day?"

"Exhausting, I didn't think I'd be this tired but apparently I am." Ashlynn replied. "How's the Inn?"

"Good, it hasn't burned down yet so that means I'm doing something right. Sookie wants you to come by and visit soon."

"I might come by tomorrow." She replied." She said taking a bite of her pizza. "Lorelai I wondering…?"

"Yeah?"

"Tomorrow's my gender ultrasound, I was wondering if you would come with me."

"Of course, I'd love that! Thanks for asking."

"I didn't want to go alone and you're the closest thing I have to a Mom right now."

Lorelai went and gave Ashlynn a hug.

"Thank you for thinking of me that way. What time's your appointment?"

"12:30pm"

"Perfect, this gives me an excuse to take an extra-long lunch."

"Do you want me to meet you at the Dragonfly?"

"That sounds like a good idea."

* * *

><p>The next day Ashlynn arrived at the Inn early so that she and Lorelai could leave and be on time.<p>

"Hey Sookie!" Ashlynn greeted.

"Ashlynn, how are you?"

"I'm good, how about you?"

"Good."

"How's little Davey?"

"He's great. He's smiling, giggling and he's quite the chatterbox."

"I bet."

"So what do you have planned for today?"

"Doctor's appointment, I'm getting my gender ultrasound today."

"How exciting, do you know what you want?"

"I know you're supposed to say 'oh as long as it's healthy.' But I really want a boy, you know…?" She began. "I keep thinking that if it's a boy, he'll look like Charles and he'll have his blonde hair and blue eyes and his nose…" Her eyes began to tear up as she remembered her late love.

Sookie gave her a comforting pat on the back. So far the only ones who knew about her story were Lorelai, Rory, Sookie, and Luke. She didn't want too many people knowing just yet, especially since she had only just moved to Stars Hollow.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Lorelai asked walking into the kitchen when she saw Ashlynn in tears. "Ashlynn what's wrong?"

"Just thinking…"

From that statement alone Lorelai knew she was thinking about Charles.

"I'm ready, let's go." Ashlynn said with a sniff.

The drive to Hartford Memorial was silent as Lorelai let Ashlynn think about Charles and the baby. When they got to the ultrasound appointment Ashlynn pulled out a picture her and Charles at their Junior Prom.

"You ready to see your baby?" Asked the ultrasound tech.

"Yes definitely."

Ashlynn lifted her shirt and waited for the cool gel to be placed on her belly.

Lorelai sat at her side and thought back to when she was pregnant with Rory. She was so excited when she found out she was having a baby girl. She was excited to be here with Ashlynn, in the past two weeks they had grown close. It was inevitable since they were living with each other.

"Alright, let's see if this baby cooperates." The tech said. "Okay I see the head, the shoulders, the torso, the legs, and….."

Lorelai and Ashlynns eyes were glued to the screen trying to see the gender of the baby.

"It's a little girl." The tech finished.

"A little girl?" Ashlynn asked.

"Yes, see right there?" The tech pointed out on the screen.

Ashlynn nodded.

"I'll go print off some pictures for you." She said as she wiped off her belly.

"So how are you doing?" Lorelai asked.

"Surprised, I was sure she would be a boy."

"Well let me tell you, having a girl is pretty amazing too."

"You're already planning the outfits and hair bows in your head aren't you?" Ashlynn quipped.

"Yes, I saw the most adorable outfit at the mall a few days ago." Lorelai admitted. "It was a pink little polka-dotted dress with little leggings underneath."

"So how was the baby?" Sookie asked when they returned from the doctors.

"I'm having a little girl!" Ashlynn replied.

"Awww, are you happy?"

"Yeah, I really am. I mean I really wanted a boy but a little girl is great too. I can dress her up, put little bows in her hair…"

"Gosh, I want a little girl!" Sookie said.

"Maybe this one's a little girl." Ashlynn said pointing to Sookie's pregnant belly.

"Maybe."

"Okay, I have to get going, the diner's expecting me and I need the money so that I can buy all the hair bows and dresses for this little girl." Ashlynn patted her slightly rounded tummy.

"Bye Ashlynn."

"Bye Sookie, Bye Lorelai."

"Bye."

Ashlynn arrived at the diner 15 minutes before her shift started, giving her enough time to grab something to eat.

"Hey Luke!" she greeted.

"Hey Ashlynn, you seem very chipper today."

"Yeah, I had a good day today; I went to my gender ultrasound."

"How did it go?"

"I'm having a girl!"

"That's great, congratulations."

"Thanks, Lorelai's already planning on spoiling her rotten, so is Sookie."

"I bet."

* * *

><p>Later that night after her shift was over both Lorelai and Ashlynn sat on the couch and spoke about the baby and pregnancy.<p>

"I can't believe you still fit into your jeans, I'm so jealous."

"Barely, they're starting to feel a little snug."

"Liar! They still look like they fit perfectly."

"Okay, fine my jeans still fit me. It's not my fault!"

"So have you been feeling any baby kicks?"

"A little bit, I mostly feel hiccups though."

"I remember when I was pregnant with Rory, she was a hiccup machine."

"Tell me about it, baby girl hiccups every day!"

"Awww, that's cute." Lorelai commented. "So we should start planning your baby shower and setting up your nursery."

"I don't need a baby shower."

"Trust me, you do. You'll be thankful you had one."

"Fine."

"Let's celebrate your little girl. I'm going to get us some ice cream."

"Awesome, this baby loves ice cream."

Lorelai stood up and went to the kitchen.

While she was gone she heard the doorbell ring.

"I got it." She shouted to Lorelai. When she opened the door she saw an older woman with a bob haircut and a Chanel suit on.

"Is Lorelai here?" She asked.

"Lorelai, someone's at the door for you."

"If it's Brad Pitt tell him I can't go with him to Europe." She quipped.

"Sorry, this isn't Brad Pitt."

Lorelai walked out to see Emily Gilmore standing in her doorway.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

"I came to visit you is that problem, is a mother not allowed to visit her daughter?"

"Come in…"

"I'll be upstairs…." Ashlynn said making her way upstairs.

"No, Ash don't leave me alone with her please!" Lorelai cried grabbing onto Ashlynns arm.

Ashlynn quickly loosened from her hold and ran upstairs.

"Traitor!" Lorelai yelled after her.

"Lorelai, who in the world is that?" Emily asked after Ashlynn ran upstairs.

"That's Ashlynn, she's been staying with me."

"Staying with you? How do you know she's not some axe murderer?"

"That would explain that axe she has in her car…" Lorelai quipped. "Mom, she's not an axe murderer. It's been two and a half weeks and I'm still alive."

"She's been staying with you for two and a half weeks?"

"Mom, she's a scared and lonely teen what was I supposed to do? She was about to sleep in her car in the middle of January!"

Emily shook her head. She went and took a seat on the chair in the living room and saw a book on the coffee table.

"Lorelai, are you pregnant?" She asked eying the 'Your Pregnancy Week by Week.'

"What? No, I'm not pregnant."

"Why is there that book on your table? Please don't lie to me Lorelai."

"I'm not lying. I'm not pregnant, I swear."

"Then whose is it? I'm pretty certain it doesn't belong to Rory…"

"It's Ashlynns."

"The girl who's staying with you?"

"No, my imaginary friend. Of course the girl who's staying with me."

"And she's pregnant?"

"She certainly didn't get the book for fun."

"Why are you letting a pregnant teen stay with you? You know that babies take a lot of work and money."

"I'm letting Ashlynn stay with me because I wasn't about to let a 17 year old stay on the streets. I would've let her stay with me if she wasn't pregnant."

"Well, I want to meet her. Bring her along to Friday night dinner this week."

Lorelai rolled her eyes. "Okay mom." She sighed in annoyance. "But please, don't attack her like you did with Luke."

"I never attacked him. I was being completely polite."

"Yeah, that's what you think." She mumbled. "We'll see you Friday."

"I wasn't finished, I came over here to talk to you about something…"

"Well, I've really got to go…"

"You're making your own mother leave?"

"I've got a lot to do at the Inn tomorrow."

"I can't believe this!" Emily muttered as she walked out of the house.

"Bye mom." Lorelai called out shutting the door behind her.

Ashlynn walked back down the stairs after she heard the car leave.

"Well, looky here… it's the traitor…" Lorelai teased. "Thanks for leaving me alone with the rabid bear…"

"So that was your mother huh?"

"Unfortunately." Lorelai replied in exhaustion. Just a mere 15 minutes with her mother always made her feel like she had been working non-stop for weeks. "And you've been invited to my own personal hell."

"What now?"

"Friday night dinner, my mother wants you there this weekend."

"Oh lordy…"

"I can tell you're overjoyed."

"Definitely, I only met her for a split second and I'm already exhausted."

"Welcome to my world." Lorelai said with a slight chuckle.

"Okay, I really need some ice cream now."

"Oh me too, and come Friday night you'll be eating it by the truck load one you've left dinner."

"As long as it's Ben & Jerry's™…" Ashlynn replied.

Hope you guys liked that. I had to add Emily in this chapter; I think that her character always brings out the funniest lines from Lorelai so it was definitely a must. Chapter 5 should be up soon. Please review and enjoy your day!


	5. Chapter 5

Hey everyone! I'm so glad you like my story! It's hard coming up with a story and getting attached to the characters and plot and then putting it out there to receive any kind of critique; good or bad. The fact that there are positive reviews makes me so happy to be sharing this with you. I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates, I'm in a really difficult place right now with finals, working 2 jobs and trying to keep a social life; but as soon as school is over in a few weeks I'll be updating as much as I can.

Chapter 5

Lorelai and Ashlynn stood at the door of the Gilmore pool house and waited for Rory.

"Are you sure you don't want to fake sick so we can leave?" Lorelai asked again.

"Yes, I figure that if I get this one dinner in they'll see that I'm not a serial killer or moocher and then I'll be free from these dinners forever."

"Ashlynn you're here!" Rory exclaimed pulling her into a hug.

"Yeah, your grandmother invited her over."

"How's the baby, did you find out the sex?"

"Yeah, I'm having a girl!"

"That's great!"

"Rory, Lorelai, what are you doing at the pool house?" Emily asked.

"Meeting dad for drinks as usual."

"Well, we're all having drinks in here together." Emily informed.

"Okay…"

"Ashlynn, is it?" Emily asked.

Ashlynn nodded as if she was about to be chastised.

"It's a pleasure meeting you."

"Thank you. It's very nice to meet you too. Thank you for inviting me."

"Well you are very welcome. Maris, please take their coats."

Ashlynn was amazed by the house. She had been middle class her entire life, the only time she had seen a house like this was when she watched Cribs.

"What would you like to drink?" Emily asked when they entered the sitting room.

"I'll have water please." Ashlynn replied.

"Ahh, you must be Ashlynn, I'm Richard Gilmore."

Ashlynn felt the immense need to curtsey. Richard Gilmore was tall and very regal.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you."

"So Ashlynn, what brought you over to Stars Hollow?" Emily asked getting right down to business.

"Mom!" Lorelai snapped.

"What Lorelai? I have the right to ask."

"Well, Lorelai might have told you that I'm pregnant. I left home to find a safe place for myself and my child. Unfortunately my parents were not supportive of my pregnancy."

"You have and accent, where are you from?" Emily asked.

"Mom!" Lorelai repeated.

"Lorelai for goodness sake please stop interrupting!"

"I'm from Vermont." She replied. "I've lived there all my life so I guess the accent followed me down to Connecticut."

"Vermont is a lovely place." Emily stated. "So, is the father of your child still in Vermont?"

Before Lorelai could scold Emily Ashlynn turned to her. "It's alright Lorelai, I don't mind answering." She assured. "Yes, Charles is still in Vermont. He's buried in Lakeview Cemetery."

Emily and Richards faces turned to stone. They had no clue that he had passed away.

"Charles was in a car accident involving a drunk driver about a week after we found out I was pregnant. The impact killed him instantly."

"I'm very sorry for your loss." Emily replied.

"Thank you."

"What are you planning on doing with your baby and your future?"

"I'm keeping her. I have a job, so that'll help a little. Hopefully after I get settled I can start college."

"Ashlynn graduated high school early." Lorelai added.

"Is that so?" Richard inquired.

"Was that before or after you found out about your pregnancy?"

"I graduated after I found out, but I originally planned on graduating early before I found out about my baby. "

"What are you planning on studying?"

"I really love photography. I would like to open up my own studio someday."

Dinner had gone surprisingly well. Emily was very polite and kind to Ashlynn never saying one rude thing. Ashlynn figured that it was due to the fact that she was a pregnant teen which probably reminded her of her own daughter.

"Thank you for coming Ashlynn." Richard said.

"Yes, it was very nice speaking with you." Emily added. "You are welcome here anytime you'd like."

"Thank you so much."

"We hope to see you next Friday."

"That sounds lovely." Ashlynn smiled.

"That was the nicest I've ever seen her act." Lorelai exclaimed during the drive home."

"Yeah, I was honestly expecting Medusa tonight."

"Oh don't you worry, there is still plenty of time for that."

"Do you think she'll expect me to come over every Friday?"

"I wouldn't put it past her, but for now I think you're safe."

"Good, 'cause I've got the Friday dinner shift for the next two Fridays at the diner."

"Ooooh the diner sound so good right now, I'm in desperate need of coffee."

"To Luke's?"

"To Luke's." She affirmed.

* * *

><p>"Luke we need coffee!" Lorelai exclaimed as they walked into the diner. "Minus Ashlynn though, so I guess it's just me who needs coffee."<p>

Luke rolled his eyes and poured coffee into the mug.

"You're the only good one." Luke said to Ashlynn.

"Hey, I'm good too!" Lorelai pouted.

"You're a coffee addict."

"Am not, I can stop whenever I want."

"Then stop."

"Not today, maybe tomorrow."

"Spoken like a true junkie."

"How rude, but a kiss will mend my feelings."

Luke awkwardly looked at Ashlynn, not wanting to kiss Lorelai in front of her.

"Luke, you can go ahead and kiss her." Ashlynn laughed. "I'm pregnant, I'm pretty sure I've done way more than kissing."

Luke shook his head at her statement.

"Fine, I'll meet you in the back and then I'll have my way with you." Lorelai winked.

"Oh jeeze!"

Ashlynn tried holding back a laugh at his reaction.

"I'm sorry, I enjoy keeping my private life private."

"I think that Ashlynn already knows what goes on in private." Lorelai teased.

"Yeah, I've heard it…." Ashlynn mumbled.

"What?" Luke freaked out.

"My room is right across from Lorelai's…."

"Oh god!" Luke muttered as he turned red and walked away.

"I'm so sorry Ashlynn." Lorelai apologized.

"Don't be, I sleep like the dead. I was just messing with him."

"Great, now he'll never want to have sex at my house anymore." She sighed. "But I must admit, you did a very good job of messing with him."

"I tried my best."

"It seems as though I'm rubbing off on you."

"Oh yeah, you definitely are."

* * *

><p>4 weeks later.<p>

"Morning Luke!" Ashlynn greeted as she walked in for her shift.

"Morning." He replied.

Things had gotten tense in the past few weeks. Lorelai and Luke had broken up after Emily and Richards Vow renewal which left Ashlynn feeling torn between the two. Lorelai was like her mother. She lived with her, they hung out constantly, and they had gotten super close. And Luke was like her father. He had given her a job, he looked out for her and the baby's safety, and he always listened to her when she had a problem. She wanted them back together again. She saw how perfect they were for each other, being apart was not an option.

She could tell that they were heartbroken over the break up. Lorelai had begun moping and wasn't cheerful any more. When they hung out together she wouldn't crack as many jokes and she would always have a pensive look on her face. Luke wasn't doing any better; he was much angrier and gruffer with his customers and most of his employees. He yelled a lot more and had the tendency to snap at Caesar for little things.

"How are you?" He asked her.

"I'm doing well; baby girl is kicking a lot more." She replied. "I better get started."

"Yeah, a few tables need to be cleared."

Working had gotten a lot harder for her. Her feet began to hurt after an hour on the job and her back got sore quickly. And to add to the difficulty, her belly had definitely popped and was now getting in the way of simple tasks. The whole town now knew she was pregnant. It was difficult not to.

An hour into her shift and Ashlynn was wiped. The diner was barely busy but she still needed to rest. She walked behind the counter and went to pour herself some water. All of a sudden she heard the bells jingle. Emily Gilmore walked in causing Ashlynn to roll her eyes at her high and mighty attitude.

"What are you doing here?" Ashlynn asked.

"I came here to speak with Luke."

"Why? Haven't you done enough?"

"I did what I thought was best for my daughter."

"What's best for your daughter? Lorelai has been miserable since the wedding. If you really knew what was best for her you wouldn't have butt into her life like that."

"You have no right to speak to me that way!" Emily scolded.

"No, I do!" Ashlynn snapped back. "You think you can control everyone, but you can't! It's not your life, you're not the one who was dating Luke!"

Luke walked out of the back room to find Ashlynn yelling at Emily.

"Ashlynn, Ashlynn. Calm down!" He ordered. "Go in the back room now, sit down and breathe. If you can't calm down I'm sending you home."

"I'm sorry Luke; I just couldn't stand there and do nothing."

"I know, now please."

Ashlynn listened and walked in to the back room.

"You should fire that girl for speaking to a customer that way." Emily stated.

"I'm not firing Ashlynn, she's a good kid."

"A good kid wouldn't speak to anyone that way."

"What do you want?"

"I'm here to speak about Lorelai." She began. "She misses you; she's not the same without you."

"And whose fault is that?"

"You're right, I shouldn't have gotten involved in her personal matters, but as a mother I was worried." She admitted. "Please, go to her."

"Luke!" Luke heard Caesar call out.

"What is it?"

"It's Ashlynn, she's fainted."

"What?" He exclaimed.

"She's on the ground and she's not waking up."

Luke stormed into the back room leaving Emily startled.

"Caesar, I'm leaving you in charge. Lane should be here in half an hour so you won't be alone for too long. I'm taking Ashlynn to the hospital."

"You got it boss."

Luke lifted Ashlynn and brought her out to his truck. He pulled out his cellphone and called Lorelai.

"Hello?"

"Lorelai, it's Luke."

"What do you want?" She asked coldly.

"It's Ashlynn, she passed out…"

"What? What happened?"

"She got into an argument and I told her to cool down and she passed out."

"Oh god!"

"I'm on my way to the hospital right now."

"I'll meet you there. Thanks for calling me."

Luke sped to the ER. On the way there Ashlynn had woken up and felt a little groggy.

"Luke, I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine."

"You're not fine, you passed out."

"Yes, but I'm awake."

"I'm not taking any chances, so you're going to sit and shut up for the rest of the rife."

When they arrived at the ER Ashlynn was taken in and wheeled away immediately.

Luke sat in the waiting room and tried waiting patiently.

"Luke, where is she?"

"They took her away; they said they would give us news as soon as they could."

"Thanks for being there and bringing her in." Lorelai thanked. She went in and gave him a hug.

"I would do anything for you, Rory, and Ashlynn, you know that."

"I know."

They stood in the waiting room with their arms still wrapped around each other.

"Who's here for Ashlynn Lombardi?" A nurse said interrupting their moment.

"We are." They replied in unison.

"Please come around back."

They followed the nurse in anticipation.

"What happened to her?" Lorelai asked.

"The doctor is in with her now; she'll explain everything to you."

"They reached one of the rooms and found Ashlynn getting an ultrasound.

"Everything is looking good with the baby. She's a little shaken up, but she's healthy and happy."

"You're here!" Ashlynn greeted when she saw them in the doorway.

"Hell yeah we are here. You scared us half to death."

"I'm sorry." Ashlynn apologized.

"It's not your fault. Thank goodness you were in good hands though." Lorelai said looking over to Luke.

"Yeah." Ashlynn agreed.

"Are these your parents?" The doctor asked.

"Yes." Ashlynn replied without hesitation.

Ashlynns answer did not go unnoticed by Luke and Lorelai. Both had happiness shooting out from their hearts when she mentioned them as her parents and not guardians. They had grown close with her and felt like parents to her.

"Can you tell us what happened?" Luke asked.

"Ashlynn fainted due to high blood pressure. It wasn't enough to make us worry about preeclampsia but she still needs to take it easy. The baby is doing perfectly fine, there's no need to worry about any pre-term labor."

"What does she need to do?"

"Like I said, she just needs to take it easy. She needs to learn how to keep her stress level down. If she does all that she should be fine."

"When can we bring her home?"

"I'll bring the release forms and then you'll be on your way."

The doctor exited the room and left the three alone.

"Thank god you're okay." Lorelai exclaimed as soon as the doctor left. She gave Ashlynn a big hug nearly suffocating her.

"I'm sorry for scaring you guys."

"We know you are, just don't do it again." Lorelai replied. "We're going to let you get dressed now. I'm pretty certain those hospital gowns aren't so fun."

"What? I love these open backed gowns, they're so glamorous." She quipped.

Luke and Lorelai walked out of the room and closed the door for her privacy.

"I'm so glad she's okay." Lorelai sighed.

"Me too. She nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Thanks so much for bringing her in."

"You heard her, I'm her father. It was my duty to bring her in."

"Yeah, I heard her too. I'm glad she thinks of me as her mother. To tell you the truth she's become another daughter to me."

"I know."

"I know that she's only been here a short time but I've really connected with her. She's my daughter."

"I know. She's my daughter too."

"Luke, I'm sorry for everything, the wedding, my mother, Christopher."

"I'm sorry too." He apologized. "I know it wasn't your fault, and I shouldn't have flipped out."

They were about to kiss when the doctor stopped by with the release forms.

"Alright, you two just need to sign here and here and you'll be on your way." The doctor pointed out.

They signed the paper work and handed it back to the doctor. They opened the door to the hospital room and found Ashlynn sitting on the hospital bed waiting.

"Am I free?"

"Yep, do you have everything?"

Ashlynn nodded and started to walk out of the room.

"I'm going to pull my car up so that she won't walk too much." Luke informed walking away quickly.

"Okay, see you out there."

"I hate hospitals." Ashlynn sighed.

"I know you do."

"Yeah, but I'm going to have to get used to them."

"Yes, you do." Lorelai replied. "I'm glad you and the baby are okay."

"Me too." Ashlynn replied.

"May I ask what caused this…?" Lorelai began trying to find the correct words.

"I was wondering when you would ask." Ashlynn sighed. "Well, your mother came into Luke's and I kind of got heated up…"

"My mother? What was she there for?"

"She said she needed to speak with Luke, and I got upset over what she had done so I spoke my mind to her."

"Spoke your mind how?"

"I told her she had done enough and that she should stop butting into your life." She explained. "Then Luke walked out and saw me yelling at her…"

"Whoa, yelling, you never said yelling." She interrupted.

"Really, I could've sworn that I mentioned it."

"How did her face look when you yelled at her?"

"She looked a little scared and I think I saw a tiny bit of guilt."

"Ugh, I wish I could've been there. Emily Gilmore feeling guilty….I'll never see that in my life ever again."

They arrived to the front entrance and saw Luke's truck idling by the doors.

The day had been long. When they finally arrived home Ashlynn went straight upstairs to take a nap.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Luke asked.

"She'll be fine; I'm taking off for the rest of the day just to watch her."

"Oh, okay, good."

They stood there in silence, neither of them wanting to leave.

"I missed you!" Lorelai blurted out as Luke was turning to leave.

"I missed you too." He replied.

"I'm so sorry." She walked closer.

"I'm sorry too." He wrapped his arms around her and leaned in to kiss her.

The end for now. My next chapter will probably be up later due to my busyness, I just wanted to put this one up to hold you guys over. As you read I did take many liberties with the scenes but I felt that it was necessary. I hope you all enjoyed it. Please review and enjoy your Monday!


	6. Chapter 6

Hello people! I hope you are ready for a whole chapter because that's what I'm giving you! I'm so glad to be off of school, it gives me so much more time to give you guys new chapters!

Chapter 6

Ashlynn sat in her bed and tried to rest. Unfortunately because of last night's incident Luke wouldn't let her come into work today, in fact he wouldn't let her come in all week. Leave it to Luke to become overprotective.

"Hey Ash, I'm home!" Lorelai hollered.

"I'm up in my room."

Lorelai walked up the stairs and saw Ashlynn sitting in her room looking around in despair.

"What's up with you?" Lorelai asked.

"I'm in prison!"

Lorelai responded with a look.

"I'm not even on bed rest but look where I am…I'm in bed!" She whined. "Luke is crazy, he's come to check up on me three times today, and when he's not checking up on me I have Babette…And as much as I adore Babette I don't think I can listen to anymore of her gossip."

Lorelai chuckled. "Well it looks like they didn't stop you from cleaning the house…"

"Oh they tried….It's all your boyfriends fault! If he didn't force me into leaving work I wouldn't be patrolled 24/7."

"Luke's just looking out for you Ash, you really scared us yesterday and we really couldn't handle the thought of having you or the baby in danger."

"Yeah, yeah I know. It's just one week off of work is a little much, the diner never stresses me out plus the doctor never said anything about me leaving work."

"Will it make you feel any better if I talk to him and try to persuade him to have you back at the diner?"

"A little…"

"What else?"

"A cheeseburger wouldn't hurt."

"I'll write it on my list."

"Thanks Lorelai, you're the best!"

Lorelai smiled and left the room. She made her way back out of the house and made her way to Luke's

"Hey Luke!" She greeted once she arrived.

"Hey what are you doing here?"

"I've got a very unhappy pregnant woman at my house…." She began. "Ash is going a bit stir crazy."

"It's only been one day!" Luke replied. "Besides it's for her own good, she scared me half to death yesterday."

"I know babe, she scared me too but I don't think keeping her locked up for a week will really be good for her either." She said. "Why don't you give her one more day of rest and then have her back?"

"Actually, I don't think it's a good idea for her to be working especially in her condition."

"Wow, did you really just say that? I feel like I've traveled back to the times of Scarlett and Rhett…" She teased. "You know that she needs the money Luke."

"She can come back after she has the baby."

"And in how much time to do you expect her back at work after having the baby?"

"I figured a week…"

"A week? Luke, pushing a baby out of your uterus isn't a walk in the park; it takes women at least two weeks to finally walk without being in pain. Plus she's not going to want to leave that baby so soon."

"What am I supposed to do then? I don't want to put her or the baby at risk."

"I know, neither do I. How about we make a compromise; she's off from the diner for a week, but you let her work until she wants to stop or until the doctors make her."

"That was too easy, what are the conditions?"

"Let her walk around, she's miserable when she's confined to her bed. I'll even take her to the inn and I'll have Sookie or Michel keep an eye on her."

"I don't know…"

"Come on Luke compromise!"

"Fine, but I get a condition as well."

"Name me your deal sir!"

"When she comes back to work she has to listen to me…"

"Doesn't she always?" Lorelai interrupted.

"I mean when I tell her to take a break or go home."

"I'll tell her our conditions." She said. "Now I'd like 2 cheeseburgers and 2 fries to go please."

"Two why two?" Luke asked when he suddenly realized. "Lorelai, you can't let her eat this junk!"

"Fine make one of the fries a salad instead."

He gave her a pointed look.

"Trust me Luke you do not want to get in between a pregnant woman and her cravings, bad news!"

"She shouldn't be eating this way!"

"Pregnancy makes you do weird things. Did you know that when I was pregnant with Rory I ate apples all the time?"

"Apples, as in the fruit, with no caramelized sugar or whipped cream on top?"

"Yes as in the fruit. Let the girl eat a cheeseburger and fries, she's been eating healthy for a majority of the time."

"Fine, I'll get right on that."

"I'm home and I've got a treat!" Lorelai shouted when she came back home.

"You don't need to yell, I was in the kitchen." Ashlynn said as she walked out of the kitchen. "Could that white bag possibly be holding what I think it is?"

"Depends on what you think it is."

"A time machine?"

"Nope sorry, one more guess."

"A pair of Christian Louboutins?"

"Nope, but since you're pregnant I'll give you one more try."

"A cheeseburger?"

"Ding, ding, ding!" Lorelai cheered. "Now let me tell you what you've won!"

Ashlynn laughed at Lorelai's impersonation of a game show host.

"Well audience, she's won a delicious meal provided by your friendly neighborhood Luke's that includes a cheeseburger, fries and a delicious piece of pie for dessert!"

"You got pie?" Ashlynn asked. "Oh no, what did Luke say?"

"He wanted to give you leave until after the baby was born…"

"What? That's insane, I need the money and having me not work would prevent me from getting the money!"

"That's what I said. We had to compromise, you're off for the week but as soon as it's up you're allowed back at Luke's."

"What, that's the exact same deal we had before…"

"It's better than not working for the rest of your pregnancy."

"Yeah that's true, plus he's letting me eat a burger so that's also a win!"

They sat down and ate their dinner.

"So tell me about your day young one?" Lorelai asked.

"I was so bored and annoyed! I tried to clean the house but Luke caught me and sent me straight up to bed."

"Ouch. You can't be mad at him for that though."

"I know it's just I hate it when people tell me what to do. That's what made me leave my house." She replied sadly.

"You miss them don't you hun?"

"Is it bad that I do?" She asked. "I mean the past few years were awful but they weren't always bad; I've actually had some great times with my parents."

"It's not bad to miss them, they're your parents, you've lived with them all of your life." Lorelai assured. "I missed my parents when I first ran away."

"Well, that makes me feel a little better."

"Good, now what did you mean about the past few years being awful?"

"I was always the golden child growing up. I did well in school, I didn't stay out late, I joined clubs, played sports. Every parents dream, my parents always trusted me, but when I started dating Charles they changed completely." Ashlynn began. "They would call me constantly, go through my stuff, and never let me do anything that I did before. They always assumed that we were having sex…which now isn't too far from the truth."

"I thought they like Charles?"

"They did, before him though I had only had one boyfriend and that was my sophomore year of high school and we weren't that serious."

"Charles was the one huh?"

"Oh yeah….you know, I've never told you how we met."

"No, but I know what talking about him does to you."

"It's fine, I know that baby girl will ask about her daddy when she's old enough so I should probably start practicing."

"Okay, but you stop if you want to; I have no problems with that alright?"

"Gotcha!" Ashlynn replied. "Anyways, I knew Charles for a long time. His sister Jenna is actually my age and we're best friends. Jenna and I always did everything together peewee soccer, t-ball and since Char was older he would have to babysit us. I remember I found him really annoying until about eighth grade when I had a crush on him. At that time he was a sophomore in high school and I thought he was the hottest thing since sliced bread."

"Oooh nice old-timey comparison."

"I try." Ashlynn laughed. "We didn't become actual friends until I reached high school, and when our friendship started we were very, very close. It wasn't until winter break of Junior year did we actually get together."

"How did it happen?"

"As creepy as it's going to sound, we were at a funeral. My great-aunt had just passed away and I was always so close to her. At the wake I snuck away to the old tree house in her back yard with a bottle of jack at hand; Char saw me and followed me out. Just before I was going to take a chug he talked me down and held me as I cried. After I had cried my eyes out he still held me and I out of the blue I kissed him. He looked at me like I was insane so I apologized and then he kissed me back. A week later we were officially dating."

"What a great story you two have."

"Yeah, I'll make sure to leave the underage drinking part out when I tell it to my future child."

"Good idea."

"He was one of the good ones." Ashlynn sighed.

"I would have loved to meet him; he sounds like a wonderful guy."

"He was. He would've loved Stars Hollow….something about small town life always appealed to him."

Lorelai gave Ashlynn a comforting hug knowing that the girl was close to tears due to her telling of her story.

"You ready for some pie?" Lorelai asked.

"Oh yeah, baby girl is really wanting some pie." She laughed.

Chapter 6 is finally finished. I'm sorry for my slacking off lately; I've just been so caught up with my break that I never want to do anything. Lazy with a capital L! Hope you guys enjoyed. Please review and enjoy your Thursday!


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